Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-18
A MELODRAMA In COURT.
UNGER AGAIN TELLS HOW HE
KILLED BOHLE.

The Crowded Court flushed During the
Recital of the Details of the Horror
Tho Witness So Overcome by Ems
tion tn at His Voice Assumes the Hun
kiness of a stage whisper.
NEW YORK, Feb. 1.-THE trial Of Capts1
Unger for the murder of August BohlsS
became unusually sensational to-day
when the prisoner was placed on the wit
ness stand by his counsel. This Is the
case where the murdered mans remains
were dsmembered, packed In trunk
and shipped by express to Baltimre
to a fictitious address. Unger gave his
tory of his life since reaching manhood,
from which It appears that he madea
creditable record In the navy sgtSe
late war, rising from seamaEs 6erth to
command Of a dispatch boat. ne is now
lame from the effects OF a wound and logo
his hearing from the concussion OF NOR
tar explosion. His story OF how he formed
Bohle's acquaintance, and how Bohle
finally went to live with him, has been
often published. Unger relatFs that
Bohle was morose, quarrelsome and
abusive In speech.
THE DAY OF THE MURDER:
On the morning of the murder BOhls
became offensive In his talk, and Unger
sent his children out on made-up errands.
After they were alone, BOhe soon be-
came violent again, and snatched uD a
long knife from the table and started for
Unger with the evident Intent OF killing
him. Unger hastily seized hammer
that was in reach and struck Bohle on
the top Of his head. Unger's left hand
was cut, and he saved his life by grasping
Bohle's sleeve and preventing him using
the knife as he intended. The hammer
| crushed Bohle's skull, and he fell on the
| sofa dead.
HIGHLY MELoDRAMATIC.
Unger's recital as very dramatic, and
| be was worked up to high pitch OF ex-
element as he described Bohle's assault
and illustrated his own movements In
grasping the arm, holding the descending
| knife and striking back with the ham,
mer.
s'You knew August Bohle was deadp
said his counsel quietly.
ayes SIR" answered Unger in SUBJ
dued tones, ~ knew that he was dead
and thought what 1 should do. 1t was
nearly 10 O'Clock and my boy would soon,
| be back.
PUT UNDER THE SOFA.
$50 pulled out the settee, put Bohle
behind 1t and wiped the blood off the sofa.
Then l got ready to receive my boy.
| When he came l told him Bohle was
| gone, and he went to bed"
Unger related the story of the. night OF
| horror which he passed while the body OF
| Bohle was behind the cot. He had fit-
full sleep, broken by horrible dreams, and
in each of them Bohle appeared standing
at his bed. Unger would start up and
spring out of bed. Again and again this
was repeated.
CUTTING UP THE CORPSE.
| Then the story of how he cut up the re.
/ ai told N oil To mi NJ 1fact dat 10
| The head would not 60 into the trunk with
all his efforts. Unger wrapped it up in a
piece OF cloth with some scraps OF iron
and dropped 1t off the ferry boat. The
trunk was so full without it that Unger
was obliged to bear the weight OF his body
| upon the lid in closing 1t. Unger said in
closing: 81 don't know, but it don't n
that did it. don't seem to be awake.
| L am miserable man. l seem to be
dreaming. L certainly did 1T in self de-
fense. l can't blame myself. / am q
miserable man."
HUsHED BY HORROR.
| Unger's voice sank lower and grew
/ more husky until his words were scarcely
| audible. The court room was as still as
death during his recital. The jury leaned
| forward to catch every syllable. When
be was through every eye was on him az
he came down from the stand.
Alter recess, upon cross examin alton,
UDger said be supposed that BOhle had
about $500 when he came TO live with.
him. Unger again described the fracasI
mlnutely and without the slightest varia-f
tion from his former relation. AT the re-
quest OF his lawyer Ungef looked the
| Jury squarely and unfiinchingly in the
face and said: ~ have told you all I
| know about it,"
The defense rested. Tomorrow the
prosecution will introduce one or two
witnesses in rebuttah, and the case wild
be given to the jury, no doubt.